Universities encouraged to prioritize native agricultural produces for dietary purposes and environmental sustainability.
In a bid to address growing food insecurity and climate instability, high institutions of learning in the region are being encouraged to adopt African traditional crops and vegetables. This call to action comes from Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, Vice Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), who emphasized the need for universities to use their research power to bridge indigenous knowledge with modern science and transfer that knowledge into communities.
One project leading this charge is the ORPHAN Project, funded by the European Union. The ORPHAN Project aims to promote new scientists trained in orphan crops, food technology, plant breeding, and nutrition. It also aims to harmonize training and research agendas across participating universities.
Prof. Ngumi advocates for curriculum reforms that integrate indigenous crops into agriculture, nutrition, and environmental science lessons from primary to tertiary level. These reforms will enable students to learn about the cultivation, nutritional benefits, and role of these crops in climate resilience.
The strategies for integrating African traditional crops into university curricula are multifaceted. They include leveraging universities' research capacity to bridge indigenous knowledge and modern science, embedding community-based learning and entrepreneurship, promoting policy support and awareness, enhancing investment in research, breeding, and value addition, incorporating indigenous knowledge and crop information in biological sciences curricula, and encouraging interdisciplinary approaches.
Prof. Mary Abukutsa, ORHAN Project lead for Kenya, emphasizes the need for inclusive programs that leverage local knowledge and empower grassroots communities. She calls for government support for research funding, innovation hubs within universities, and infrastructure like processing equipment, seed banks, farmer training centers, and market linkages.
However, several barriers, such as limited seed access, poor market infrastructure, lack of consumer awareness, and insufficient policy support, have been identified as challenges to the adoption of indigenous foods. Prof. Koffi, another proponent of this movement, highlighted the richness of orphan crops in micronutrients like iron, zinc, vitamins, and antioxidants. He emphasized the importance of African countries prioritizing orphan crops in their national agricultural strategies.
In conclusion, integrating African traditional crops into university curricula requires a multidisciplinary, knowledge-bridging approach that combines education, research, innovation, policy advocacy, and community engagement to advance food security, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. The ORPHAN Project, with its enrolment of 11 PhD and 7 master's students from five countries, is a significant step towards this goal.
- Politics should address the growing concern of climate change and its impact on food insecurity.
- Climate change, alongside political action, is a pressing concern for modern businesses.
- The epaper has been filled with articles discussing climate change and its effects.
- Science continues to uncover the dire consequences of climate change on various medical conditions.
- Workplace wellness programs must consider the impact of climate change on employee's chronic diseases and cancers.
- Respiratory conditions, a concern for many, are exacerbated by climate change.
- Digestive health can be affected by changes in climate and diet as a result of climate change.
- Eye health, too, may be influenced by climate change, with an increase in eye-related health issues being predicted.
- Hearing problems could potentially be linked to climate change, although more research is needed.
- Health and wellness, in general, are at risk due to the effects of climate change.
- Fitness and exercise routines may require adjustments due to changes in weather patterns caused by climate change.
- Autoimmune disorders could be influenced by climate change, according to recent studies in environmental science.
- Climate change impacts the manufacturing industry, affecting energy consumption and waste production.
- Men's health can be affected by climate change in various ways, as discussed in the latest men's health magazines.
- Skin care industry needs to adapt to climate change, addressing new skin conditions caused by changing weather patterns.
- Therapies and treatments for various medical conditions must consider climate change as a contributing factor.
- Nutrition plays a vital role in mitigating the effects of climate change on health.
- Aging populations should be aware of the impact of climate change on their cardiovascular health.
- Women's health is directly linked to climate change, as a pregnant woman's wellbeing is affected by increased temperatures.
- Parenting requires increased awareness of climate change and its impact on children's health.
- Climate change influences cardiovascular health, adding another layer of concern to the cardiovascular-health industry.
- The industry must invest in research and development to combat climate change and its effects.
- Medicare should provide coverage for treatments related to climate change and its health impacts.
- Neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, may be influenced by climate change.
- Environmental science researchers are working tirelessly to understand the relationship between climate change and various health conditions.
- Finance plays a crucial role in funding research and implementing policies to address climate change.
- Energy consumption in transportation should be reduced to combat climate change.
- Cybersecurity risks increase when investing in new technologies aimed at addressing climate change.
- Lifestyle changes, from fashion and beauty choices to food and drink, can significantly reduce one's carbon footprint and contribute to fighting climate change.
